Category: The Present

I had an interesting week of eating a vegan diet. Although I was very faithful, it really didn’t go very well. I know, I know, it takes time for your body to adjust. But by the last two days, my muscles in my legs, and arms really hurt. My lower back also became stiff and sore. I…

Since I’m still waiting on insurance approval (or denial) of the interferon, I decided to do what I always do when faced with a medication that I really don’t want to take…I start scouring the internet for other options. A few weeks ago I subscribed to a uveitis facebook page, and yesterday there was a…

Work for me begins at 10:00 a.m. Did I mention that I have a pretty cushy schedule? Because of this great schedule, and I am not being sarcastic here, I sometimes stay up too late. Last night I got sucked into a show on Netflix called “Damages”. I thought it was only six shows, and I…

Some days I am just plain afraid. I’m not afraid of the disease. I’m afraid of the treatments. Not all of the treatments, just some of the treatments. Right now, just the one I am supposed to call the pharmacy about. My homework on the interferon is done and I am awaiting its preapproval by the…

One of the first jobs I had right out of college was at a residential treatment center for children. The section of the center that I worked in was called the shelter care unit. We took children, ages 3 to 12, who had been removed from homes with unimaginable situations, or children who had been in…

After my trip to the OHSU gurus last week, the first assignment I was given was to go to the pharmacy and find out how much two different types of interferon cost. I knew they would be expensive, I know that my insurance company needs to give preapproval for me to even get it, and…

Interferon. Doesn’t that sound like something that might make you glow in the dark? Apparently, it does not turn you a different color, or light you up like a Christmas tree, or turn you into an alien. I guess it just makes you feel like an alien…for about a month I’m told. Flu-like symptoms, complete…

Growing up my family sang together. For a year we toured the states of Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky, singing at churches, parties, supper clubs. We even made one of those vinyl cylinder’s called a record. It was quite the experience for a 10 year old west coast girl. The experience included culture shock, learning about…

A few years ago, I was at a table with some colleagues having lunch. We were served clam chowder among other things, and it was rather bland. I asked them to, “Please pass the salt,” and they did. What they did not do, at least with their words, was to tell me that I was…

A couple of months ago, I showed up on time for an appointment with my retina doc. To say I was terrified is an understatement. I woke up that morning thinking, “Today could be the day. It could be the day that I lose all vision in one of my eyes.” In fact, I was…